Stay cleaning device having a foldable sponge

ABSTRACT

A sponge is mounted on base members in such a manner that it may be folded into a V-shape. A sailboat stay or guy wire can be received between the opposing surfaces of the sponge when folded into a V-shape so that movement of the sponge along the stay or guy wire will clean the same. The base members supporting the sponge are coupled to a halyard line at one end and a tether line at the other end in such a manner that pulling on the halyard tends to close the base members and sponge into the V-shape to apply a wiping force against the stay. By using the halyard to pull the device along the stay over the length of the stay, the necessity of a person climbing up the mast of the sailboat to clean the stay is avoided.

United States Patent 1 1 Haddad 22 Filed: Dec. 6, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 312,689

[52] US. Cl 114/221, 15/119 A, 15/210 B, 15/244 R, 114/39 [51] Int. Cl B63b 59/00 [58] Field of Search 15/l04.04, 210 B, 256.6; 118/208; 114/39, 102, 221 R, 222; 401/10 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1958 Davis l5/l04.04 3,287,756 11/1966 Gesell ..l5/ll9A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 167,364 8/1921 Great Britain 15/210 B [451 Feb. 12, 1974 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or FirmPastoriza & Kelly [57] ABSTRACT A sponge is mounted on base members in such a manner that it may be folded into a V-shape. A sailboat stay or guy wire can be received between the opposing surfaces of the sponge when folded into a V-shape so that movement of the sponge along the stay or guy wire will clean the same. The base members supporting the sponge are coupled to a halyard line at one end and a tether line at the other end in such a manner that pulling on the halyard tends to close the base members and sponge into the V-shape to apply a wiping force against the stay. By using the halyard to pull the device along the stay over the length of the stay, the necessity of a person climbing up the mast of the sailboat to clean the stay is avoided.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 'PATENTEB FEB 1 2 1914 FIGZJ STAY CLEANING DEVICE HAVING A FOLDABLE SPONGE This invention relates generally to cleaning tools and more particularly to a device for cleaning the stays or guy wires on sailboats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Guy wires or stays on a sailboat for holding the mast generally extend from an upper portion of the mast to various points on the hull. These wires usually become dirty and corroded resulting in possible damage to the sails when they rub up against the stays. It is therefore normal practice for a yachtsman to periodically clean the stays.

The foregoing operation usually requires the yachtsman to climb up the mast to reach the upper portions of the stay lines. Normally he will simply wipe the stays clean of oil, dirt and the like with a sponge or cloth.

Climbing up the mast is not only a time consuming operation but can also be dangerous. It would be very helpful if some means could be provided for cleaning the stays which avoided the necessity to climb the mast.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention contemplates a stay cleaning device which can be utilized to clean most of the stays on a sailboat without the necessity of climbing the mast.

Essentially, the device is designed to take advantage of the halyard normally used for hoisting the sail or other objects. In accord with the invention, there is provided a base means supporting a sponge in such a manner that it can be folded about a center line into a general V-shape. Suitable means are provided for attaching a halyard to one end of the base means and a tether to the opposite end of the base means in such a manner that applying pulling force on the halyard and tether lines in opposite directions acts on the base means to fold the sponge into the referred to general V-shape.

With the foregoing arrangement, a stay line may be positioned within the V-shape and the stay cleaned by sliding the sponge along the stay line while maintaining tension in the halyard and tether line. Since the halyard is operable from the bottom of the mast and passes up over a pulley block on the mast, the cleaning device may be slid along the stay line over the complete length of the line from the point where it is anchored to the base of the bull to its topmost point on the mast without the necessity of the yachtsman climbing the mast.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical sailboat normally equipped with stay or guy wires and a halyard;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stay cleaning device of the present invention preparatory to cleaning one'of the stays on the sailboat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is is'an exploded view of the sponge portion of the cleaning device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the device in flat open position; and,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device in its closed V-shape position in use for cleaning a stay.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown a conventional sailboat 10 provided with a mast 11 and the usual supporting stays or guy wires 12 and 13. There may also be provided additional stays extending to a cross beam on an intermediate portion of the mast (not shown).

Sailboats of the foregoing type usually include a halyard line 14 the lower end of which may be wound up on a drum or winch l5 and the upper end of which passes over a pulley block 16 at the top of the mast and thence downwardly to terminate in a free end 17. The halyard is normally used to hoist the sail.

Referring now to FIG. 2 the stay cleaning device of the present invention comprises a sponge 18 having bottom portions secured to first and second base members l9 and 20 hinged at 21 for folding movement into a general V-shape about a fold line L.

A first means for attaching one end of the device to the halyard line 17 takes the form of first and second line sections 22 and 23 secured at first ends to points 24 and 25 along a first end edge of the members 19 and 20 intermediate the fold line L and the sides of the members respectively. The other ends of the line section connect together as at 26 and to an attaching means 27 such as a ring for coupling to the halyard line. The line sections thus define an inverted Y shape with the end of the halyard.

The opposite ends of the base members 19 and 20 include a single line 28 secured at a first point 29 along the opposite end edge of the base member 19 intermediate the fold line L and the side of the member. This single line then passes in sliding relationship through an opening 30 in the opposite end edge of the second base member 20 intermediate the fold line L and side of the member and thence extends away from the members in a direction generally parallel to the fold line L. The extending end terminates in an attachment means in the form of a ring 31 for connection to any suitable tether line 32.

With the foregoing arrangement, it will be clearthat applying a tension force to the halyard line 17 and the tether line 32 in opposite directions will tend to close the base members and sponge 18 into a general V- shape so that the same can sandwich a stay or guy wire such as the stay 12 therebetween.

FIG. 3 shows further details of the sponge 18 wherein it will be evident that the sponge includes a relieved portion 33 on its bottom surface between the bottom portions 34 and 35. Shown exploded away from the bottom portions in FIG. 3 are thin plates 36 and 37 arranged to be secured to the bottom portions 34 and 35.

Referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the base members 19 and 20 include channel means as indicated at 38 and 39 and at 40 and 41 for slidably receiving the thin plates 36 and 37 respectively of the sponge to thereby secure the sponge to the base members and yet permit easy removal for replacement by a fresh sponge.

it will also be noted in FIG. 4 that the relieved portion 33 defined between the bottom portions aecomodates the hinge 21 and will also accomodate the line sections (not shown in H0, 4) described with respect to H0. 2.

The assemblage is completed by the provision of channels 42 and 43 on the bottom of the base members 19 and 20 for supporting a biasing means in the form of a leaf type spring 44 which tends to bias the base members 19 and 20 to a flat position; that is, in a manner tending to bias the V-shape towards an open position.

FIG. 5 shows the consequences of applying a pulling force on the halyard l7 and tether lines 32 in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows, this action closing the sponge and base members into a tight V-shape to engage the stay 12.

OPERATION The operation of the stay cleaning device will be evident from the foregoing.

When it is desired to clean any particular stay, the line sections 22 and 23 at one end of the base members are connected to the end of the halyard line 17 as described in FIG. 2. The single line section at the opposite end of the base members has its attaching means 31 in turn connected to a suitable tether line 32.

The top surface of the sponge 18 may now be folded about the lower portion of a stay line such as the stay 12 and by now applying a pulling force on the halyard line 17 and restraining movement by holding the tether line, the tension in the end connecting line sections will tend to fold the sponge into tighter engagement with the stay line. The stay cleaning device may then readily be pulled along the stay line by manually pulling on the halyard portion passing to the drum shown in FIG. 1, the greater the pulling force the tighter the gripping of the sponge to the stay line. The entire stay line can thus readily be wiped without the necessity of the operator climbing the mast to reach the higher portions of the stay line.

Relaxing of tension on the halyard or tether will permit the biasing spring 44 described in FIG. 4 to open the V-shape and thus release the stay line.

After prolonged use, should the sponge 18 become too dirty or ragged for further use, the entire sponge and support plates described in FIG. 3 may be easily removed from the base members 19 and 20 by sliding the same out of the channels and inserting a new sponge provided with suitable attaching plates.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention has provided a vastly improved device particularly suitable for cleaning stay or guy wires on sailboats.

What is claimed is:

l. A stay cleaning device comprising, in combination:

a. a sponge; b. base means supporting the sponge for folding about a center fold line into a general V shape; and,

c. means for attaching a halyard line to one end of the base means and a tether line to the opposite end of the base means in such a manner that applying pulling force on the halyard and tether lines in opposite directions acts on the base means to fold the sponge into said general V-shape whereby a stay line positioned within the V-shape may be cleaned by sliding the sponge therealong while maintaining tension in the halyard and tether lines.

2. A device according to claim 1, including means coupling said sponge to said base means in such a manner that said sponge may be removed from said base means for replacement with a fresh sponge.

3. A device according to claim 1, including biasing means on said base means biasing the V-shape into an open configuration in opposition to the pulling force on the halyard and tether lines.

4. A device for cleaning the stays on a sailboat comprising, in combination:

a. first and second base members hinged together for folding movement into a V-shape;

b. a sponge having bottom portions secured to the base member so that the sponge is folded with the members to bring top surface portions of the sponge into opposing relationship in such a manner as to sandwich the stay line therebetween;

c. first and second line sections secured at first ends to points along a first end edge of the members intermediate the fold line and sides of the members respectively, the other ends of the line sections connecting together and including attaching means for coupling to the end of a halyard, the sections defining an inverted Y shape with the end of the halyard; and

d. a single line secured at a first point along an opposite end edge of the first base member, intermediate the fold line and side of the member, said single line passing in sliding relationship through an opening in the opposite end edge of the second base member intermediate the fold line and side of the member and thence extending away from the members in a direction generally parallel to the fold line for connection to a tether line whereby pulling on the halyard to apply tension exerts a closing force on the base members by said line sections and single lines sliding through said opening to increase the grip of the sponge on said stay line while said device is moved along the stay line bysaid halyard to clean the stay line.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which said sponge includes a relieved portion on its underside to aecomodate the hinged portion of the members, and the connections of the line sections and single line portions to the members.

6. A device according to claim 5, in which the bottom portions of the sponge are defined on either side of the relieved portion; and thin plates secured to the bottom portions, said base members including channel means for receiving the marginal sides of the plates to hold the sponge to the base members in such a manner that the sponge and plates may be slid free of the channels for replacement by a fresh sponge with plates.

7. A device according to claim 6, including spring means secured to the under side of the base members biasing them towards a flat configuration. 

1. A stay cleaning device comprising, in combination: a. a sponge; b. base means supporting the sponge for folding about a center fold line into a general V shape; and, c. means for attaching a halyard line to one end of the base means and a tether line to the opposite end of the base means in such a manner that applying pulling force on the halyard and tether lines in opposite directions acts on the base means to fold the sponge into said general V-shape whereby a stay line positioned within the V-shape may be cleaned by sliding the sponge therealong while maintaining tension in the halyard and tether lines.
 2. A device according to claim 1, including means coupling said sponge to said base means in such a manner that said sponge may be removed from said base means for replacement with a fresh sponge.
 3. A device according to claim 1, including biasing means on said base means biasing the V-shape into an open configuration in opposition to the pulling force on the halyard and tether lines.
 4. A device for cleaning the stays on a sailboat comprising, in combination: a. first and second base members hinged together for folding movement into a V-shape; b. a sponge having bottom portions secured to the base member so that the sponge is folded with the members to bring top surface portions of the sponge into opposing relationship in such a manner as to sandwich the stay line therebetween; c. first and second line sections secured at first ends to points along a first end edge of the members intermediate the fold line and sides of the members respectively, the other ends of the line sections connecting together and including attaching means for coupling to the end of a halyard, the sections defining an inverted Y shape with the end of the halyard; and d. a single line secured at a first point along an opposite end edge of the first base member, intermediate the fold line and side of the member, said single line passing in sliding relationship through an opening in the opposite end edge of the seCond base member intermediate the fold line and side of the member and thence extending away from the members in a direction generally parallel to the fold line for connection to a tether line whereby pulling on the halyard to apply tension exerts a closing force on the base members by said line sections and single lines sliding through said opening to increase the grip of the sponge on said stay line while said device is moved along the stay line by said halyard to clean the stay line.
 5. A device according to claim 4, in which said sponge includes a relieved portion on its underside to accomodate the hinged portion of the members, and the connections of the line sections and single line portions to the members.
 6. A device according to claim 5, in which the bottom portions of the sponge are defined on either side of the relieved portion; and thin plates secured to the bottom portions, said base members including channel means for receiving the marginal sides of the plates to hold the sponge to the base members in such a manner that the sponge and plates may be slid free of the channels for replacement by a fresh sponge with plates.
 7. A device according to claim 6, including spring means secured to the under side of the base members biasing them towards a flat configuration. 